From Hildburg Bruns
Berlin is at its limit. 4,000 places for refugees in hotels, halls and hangars must be created quickly. Since mid-August, the authorities’ forecasts have been far exceeded. “By 40 percent compared to the previous year,” says Social Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (47, SPD).
120 asylum seekers and 350 Ukrainians come every day. Not everyone stays. As part of the redistribution, Berlin has to accommodate 350 asylum seekers and 100 Ukrainians every week. A total of 10,300 asylum seekers, mainly from Syria, Kurds from Turkey and Afghans, are expected by the end of the year – around a third of them will remain in the city. In addition, around 1,000 people from the war-torn Ukraine.
“The capacity of the State Office for Refugee Affairs (LAF) is currently virtually zero,” said spokesman Sascha Langenbach. Almost 32,000 places are occupied, only 274 are free – and they are urgently needed for an agreed special contingent of sick Syrians who are currently in Lebanon.
Another large accommodation: After Hangars 2 and 3, Hangar 4 or 1 will now become refugee accommodation. Each hangar is 49 meters deep and 110 to 150 meters wide © Christian Lohse Photo: Christian Lohse
“We have to get started immediately,” demands CDU parliamentary group leader Dirk Stettner (54). “The capacities in large accommodation facilities in Tegel and Tempelhof must be expanded as quickly as possible.” Not out of the question, according to Stettner: “It could mean setting up tents at short notice so that no one has to sleep outside.”
The State Office for Refugee Affairs is negotiating with the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Church so that emergency beds can be set up there again Photo: Ralf Günther
The Senate task force approved these emergency measures on Tuesday:
► Two additional lightweight halls (600 spaces) will be built in Tegel near Terminal C.
► 1500 places can be rented in hotels and hostels. According to BZ information for 45 to 50 euros/day – at the height of the refugee influx it was an average of 76 euros/bed/day.
► In Tempelhof, the P2 parking lot at the T-Damm is to be equipped with containers and another hangar (4 or 1) – makes 700 spaces.
► In Reinickendorf, near the asylum arrival center (Oranienburger Straße), the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Church and the Sternsiedlung (Gesobau) are to be reoccupied – with around 700 places.
► In Heinersdorf, 200 spaces are being created in a furniture store (Idunastrasse).
Social Senator Cansel Kiziltepe (47, SPD) Photo: picture alliance/dpa
The TXL area (monthly rent 1.3 million euros) should actually be cleared from summer 2024 so that preparations for the planned university campus, company settlements and Schumacher district (5,000 apartments) can begin at the end of next year.
Kiziltepe now admitted: “I can’t say yet whether the goal can be maintained.”